1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus and system, such as a facsimile apparatus and system which includes a body apparatus and option units which can be connected to the body apparatus, and also relates to a facsimile apparatus which can be connected to an external apparatus and includes a function of image reading/recording operations according to instructions given by the external apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A facsimile apparatus includes a body apparatus which performs basic-system functions, and a plurality of option units, each of which can be connected to the body apparatus and thereby perform particular additional (optional or expanded-system) functions. By connecting one or a plurality of option units to each of a plurality of body apparatuses differently, it is possible to cause a plurality of facsimile apparatuses in a same series to perform different functions so as to form a plurality of types of facsimile apparatuses.
The basic-system functions are well-known facsimile functions wherein an original image on a sheet of paper is scanned by the facsimile apparatus and image data is input to the apparatus, the image data is transmitted to another facsimile apparatus as an electric signal via the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network), the other facsimile apparatus forms a corresponding image from the received electric signal, and the formed image is printed on a sheet of paper which is provided from the other facsimile apparatus. An expanded-system function may be a well-known function such as a group 4 facsimile function, the basic function of which is standardized in the CCITT Group 4, and may be added to the function of the basic group 3 facsimile apparatus, the basic function thereof being standardized in the CCITT Group 3, a printer interface function, a roll-paper cutting function, a fax-on-demand function, a video-on-demand function, or the like.
Further, by connecting arbitrary option units to a body apparatus, it is possible to enable the single facsimile apparatus to perform not only the basic-system functions but also particular functions of the thus-connected option units. Thereby, it is possible to freely configure the facsimile apparatus which has desired functions. Thus, a variety of apparatus configuration can be obtained.